‘Mantoetse Maama
MASERU — A South African man has appeared in court for allegedly robbing a local cosmetics and electronics shop in Maseru.
Zihle Phakathi, who identified himself as a soldier when he appeared at the Maseru Magistrate’s Court last week, is accused of breaking into the shop and stealing 27 cell phones with the help of a local.
Five of the cell phones have since been recovered.
Police say they are still hunting down his local accomplice, whom they suspect could have invited the South African national with the purpose of committing the crime.
Phakathi is from Kwazulu-Natal but currently stays in Bloemfontein.
He was found in possession of a 7.65 mm firearm with eight rounds of bullets, according to the police.
“A 37-year-old man from Bloemfontein was arrested for armed robbery last week,” Masupha Masupha, the police spokesperson said.
“The suspect was involved in an armed robbery that occurred at one cosmetic and electronics shop three weeks back,” he said.
Masupha said there has been a steep rise in cases in which some Basotho were inviting South African nationals to commit acts of crime.
“It has occurred in several armed robbery cases that some of the suspects involved are from South Africa and there is a possibility that they are being invited by Basotho,” he said.
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